Abstract
The transition from primary to secondary education is one of the most stressful events in a young person’s life (Zeedyk et al., 2003) and can have a negative impact on psychological well-being and academic achievement. One explanation for these negative impacts is that the transition coincides with early adolescence, a period during which certain psychological disorders (i.e., anxiety disorders) become more salient (Kessler et al., 2005) and marked social, biological, and psychological development occurs (Anderson et al., 2000). This review evaluates the existing literature on the psychological and academic impacts of the transition to secondary education on young adolescents. We examine the factors that plausibly increase or mitigate the risk of developing mental health issues and/or a decline in academic performance during the transition to secondary education. We also review the interplay between psychological health and academic achievement across and beyond the transition. We conclude with a summary of what schools and parents can learn from these findings to support children in a successful transition into secondary education.
Highlights
The transition from primary to secondary education is a normative event for most children around the world, which typically occurs when children are early adolescents
Some studies have not found evidence to suggest that children’s perceptions of the school climate differ prior to and following the school transition (Thornburg and Glider, 1984; Fenzel and Blyth, 1986; Hirsch and Rapkin, 1987; Crockett et al, 1989; Harter et al, 1992), and other studies report positive child perceptions of the school climate post-transition (Schulenberg et al, 1984; Nottelmann, 1987; Berndt and Mekos, 1995). These findings indicate a need for more research to investigate links between the school climate before and after the primary-to-secondary education transition and its effects on academic achievement in early adolescence and beyond
Only 25–40% of the young people affected by these issues receive support from a mental health professional early enough in their development, if they receive any help at all
Summary
The transition from primary to secondary education is a normative event for most children around the world, which typically occurs when children are early adolescents (mostly between the ages of 10–14). Most students change school at some point during their education, systems around the world vary significantly. While it is the norm to transition, it is possible that children may attend schools in which they complete their education in one institution, though these are uncommon in the United Kingdom. To avoid switching between locale-specific terms, for the entirety of this review, primary education refers to schooling before children transition to a middle school, highschool (United Kingdom), secondary school, or a gymnasium around the ages of 10–14, while secondary education refers to schooling after this transition.
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